Chapter 28: Too te?

  "Rion, are you done talking?"

  ?

  I slowly opened the door and saw Uru sitting in the hallway. She stood up in response to me coming out.

  Fin and the Earth God were also there for some reason, and even Zephyr was sticking his head out the window... We're on the second floor. I wonder if he's holding on to the outer wall... But this is not the time to worry about that.

  I swallowed hard and asked the question.

  ?

  "Um... How long have you been there?"

  ?

  "Hmm? I heard Rion scream. I came back in a hurry, but it seemed like Fricka was still able to handle it on her own. So I decided to wait here to see what would happen."

  ?

  "... There was some pretty loud noise, didn't you notice, Rion?"

  ?

  Kyaaaaaahh!? It's been whileeeee!!?

  N, no, It's not confirmed that...!

  ?

  "... Did you hear what we were talking about...?"

  ?

  "As expected, I could hear when you two were talking loudly. But I didn't want to seem like I was eavesdropping, so I did my best not to let it enter my ears, so I don't know what you two were saying."

  ?

  Safe! It's safeeeee!!

  Thank goodness that she didn't hear us! Especially if she had asked me about that st part, I would have been so embarrassed I would have died...!!

  Holding my chest, I let out a big breath of relief as I let my shoulders drop.

  ?

  "Rion."

  ?

  "Hueh?"

  ?

  Just as I bowed my head, I was grabbed by my chin and forced to look up. That made me make a weird noise... And made my neck hurt a bit.

  ?

  "Earth God-sama...?"

  ?

  She looked down at me (that's simply because the Earth God is taller) and scanned my body, observing me intently. Wh, what is this... There's nothing on my face, right? ... There's no trace or anything left, right...?

  I was left staring in silence for a few seconds, my heart pounding in an unpleasant way. Just when I thought she'd safely(?) let go of my hand without a word, she pced his hand on my head and started stroking it.

  ?

  "Wa-ha?"

  ?

  "Yeah. Looks like your paleness is better now."

  ?

  "--"

  ?

  … Ah.

  Only now I've noticed.

  I had thought everyone had been acting a little strange since we got back.

  But it was the other way around... I was the one who was acting strange.

  Just like Uru, they must have gathered here because they realized something was wrong when I screamed.

  I gnced over at Fin. She nodded vigorously. Ugh... It was so bad enough to make a child concerned about me.

  I turned my eyes to Zephyr, but he tilted his head in confusion, saying "Kyu?" ... I guess he didn't understand. I guess he just came because everyone was gathered there.

  Anyway, I'm sorry for making you all worry. I kept them waiting in this hallway for quite some time, I'm gd it's not winter.

  ?

  "Well, I'm sorry for making you all worry... I'm okay now..."

  ?

  But... I can't say that, instead of having recovered to the point where I'm no longer pale, my face just went red because we've done something embarrassing.

  In the first pce, that was just an emergency solution, it didn't fundamentally solve the problem.

  ?

  "... Well, don't worry about it. I didn't have a role to py this time, but taking care of a Miko is supposed to be our role."

  ?

  "I-I'm not really worried about you or anything."

  ?

  The Earth God shrugged her shoulders. It seemed like she noticed that my concerns hadn't been resolved, but she didn't press me.

  And Fin, looking away in embarrassment like that, combined with what you just said, you're a tsundere, aren't you? I thought to myself with a grin, but it seemed to show on my face. She hissed, threatening me like a cat. Hahaha.

  ?

  "It seems like everything has calmed down, so I'll be off. See you."

  ?

  "... I'm going to bed now too. Oh, you don't have to come over tonight, Onee-chan."

  ?

  The Earth God waved, and Fin, although pouting, was considerate as she returned to her own room. I gave Zephyr a pat on the head before sending him back to his bed.

  It was getting te, so it was about time for us to go to sleep... But before that, I had to expin what had happened to Uru.

  ?

  ?

  ?

  "... I see."

  ?

  The three of us sat down at the table so we could talk at our leisure.

  I knew she wouldn't be angry, but I was a bit worried about how she'd react... So I expined everything to Uru step by step, excluding that st bit with Fricka, and that was the only response I got.

  Unexpectedly, I found myself asking her to repeat herself.

  ?

  "Eh, that's all?"

  ?

  "What?"

  ?

  "Well, I was just wondering if there were any thoughts like 'What a terrible guy!'"

  ?

  "Fumu...?"

  ?

  It's not that I like being criticized, but when she's being so nonchant about it, it makes me uneasy.

  Or maybe I was deliberately hoping to feel that I had completed my atonement by being scolded.

  I'm starting to feel that I am being very selfish...

  ?

  "Ah... Just one thing. Can I say something that might be terrible?"

  ?

  "... What is it?"

  ?

  I stiffened, thinking that she must have had something on mind after all.

  But then again, it was me who had asked her, so I had to take them seriously, no matter what it was.

  And then the words she spoke to me... In a way, they pierced straight my heart.

  ?

  "Considering that you already used your own blood and my scales as materials, it makes me wonder, 'What's the big deal about thinking something like that now...?'"

  ?

  "Ugh!?"

  ?

  Aaaah, that's right!! I've already done it!!

  Even though there's a big difference between a corpse and living being, I've been looking at them as material for a long time...!

  I certainly didn't mean to hurt anyone, but I went so far as to hurt myself under the pretext of research...!

  In fact, using a living being as material is even worse...? But the blood will increase again, as for the scales I only used those that have fallen off... No, no, no, no, no matter how much I make excuses, it won't erase what I've done.

  I looked at Uru, who gave me a lukewarm look while grinning smugly, and felt so embarrassed that I wanted to roll around on the ground holding my head...

  ?

  "Oh, is that so? Should I provide some materials in this case?"

  ?

  "Bufu?!"

  ?

  Strange words come out of Fricka's mouth, causing further confusion.

  Should I provide some? No! You don't have to! That's not the pce to compete with her!!

  ?

  "Hmm. Fricka has her mana stolen by Rion almost every day, so isn't it something simir?"

  ?

  "... That may be true."

  ?

  "That may be a weird way to put it, but it's the truth, so I can't deny it!!"

  ?

  MP isn't a physical object, so it can't really be called a material, but... It's not that different from blood or scales in that it recovers even if you consume it... Or is it? W-Which one?

  It's no good, my senses are completely numb...!

  ?

  "... Could it be that is already too te for me...?"

  ?

  Somehow gathering together my scattered thoughts, that was the only conclusion I could come to.

  I muttered in a trembling voice, shocked.

  ?

  "Well... It's Rion after all."

  ?

  "It'll be fine."

  ?

  Although I received words that could be considered comforting.

  They never denied it.

  ... That's only natural. But I was shocked.